This invention relates to shelf edge display fittings particularly to fittings for hangers for merchandising strips.
In shops and particularly supermarkets products are often promoted in conjunction with other products in what is usually referred to as cross merchandising. For example, washing up liquid, the primary product, might be promoted with a secondary product such as dish cloths or tea-towels. In some cases the secondary product may usually be found in a different section of the store to the primary product and a display is needed to draw attention to the connection and actively promote the secondary product. It is not unusual for the secondary product to be relatively small compared to the primary product and not best suited to display directly on the same shelf particularly where the eye is naturally drawn to the primary product in its usual place in the store. Likewise the shopper may not be specifically or even actively searching for the secondary product at all.
Thus it has become the practice to mount secondary products on a strip depending from a shelf edge containing the primary product. For convenience and also to help promote the secondary product the strip is better displayed away from the shelf edge and deeper in to the aisle between the shelves, preferably with the products arranged so that they face shoppers directly as they progress up or down the aisle. Various fittings have been proposed for carrying the strip such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,683,003 and 5,346,166.
Both these patents describe fittings adapted to carry at least one strip and which are held to the shelf by at least one protrusion extending from a bracket, which protrusion projects through an aperture in the shelf and adapted to engage the surface under the shelf.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,003, a single protrusion is proposed integral with a plastics moulded fitting adapted for use with a specific type of shelf, popular in U.S. stores and having two rows of parallel spaced apertures alongside and parallel to the shelf edge. The single protrusion locates in an aperture in the inner row whilst an integral peg locates in h a corresponding aperture in the outer row. Much depends upon the strength on the single protrusion which invariably does not cope with repeated use and misuse.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,166 partly overcomes this disadvantage by using a formed metal plate construction and two protrusions adapted to engage adjacent apertures in the same row. In order that the protrusions can fir their apertures they must be relatively narrow and substantially the same thickness as the main body of the fitting and thus the protrusions are apt to bend in use either through lengthy use or through overloading or general misuse. A further disadvantage with this proposal is that the spacing between the protrusions must match the spacing between the apertures.
This is the same for the other constructions employing the same twin protrusions. These and others are simple derivations from the simple metal rod constructions where free ends of a bent wire or rod are kinked to locate in apertures whilst the bent portion is adapted to carry the merchandise.
Yet another disadvantage with protrusion/aperture fittings is that they are not securely attached to the shelf and can be easily dislodged.
It has also been found that with a variety of different shelving systems available, and in use, particularly with regard to the configuration of shelf edge, the prior art fitting cannot be adapted either in use or in the manufacturing process to suit such variety. One particular problem is where label holders and other shelf edge displays are concerned.